


五剣 - Five Swords

by takoyakitenchou



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28890720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takoyakitenchou/pseuds/takoyakitenchou
Summary: a feudal Japan AU in which the Council of Regents are unable to come to a compromise following the death of the Taiko, and the country erupts into strife and civil war. feat. Hiro Mashima's cast of Fairy Tail.
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser, Jellal Fernandes/Erza Scarlet, Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia, Rogue Cheney/Kagura Mikazuchi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	五剣 - Five Swords

**Author's Note:**

> i don't own FT.

The daimyo watched with his knuckles white on the hilt of his katana, doing his best to keep his voice from wavering, because to be weak now would be a disgrace to the sheer monstrosity of the Taiko’s courage.

“General,” said the daimyo.

The Taiko grinned at him and replied in the rough timbre that had won over the country, “I’ll be with Mavis and Japan is yours, my friend.”

“I don’t seek to be shogun. August will come of age soon.”

At this, the Taiko sat up in his deathbed, waving off the daimyo’s protests. “There are still seven years until he can become Taiko. Paralyze the Council and fulfill your duty. To your name, to me, and to Japan.”

The daimyo shook his head. “I could never be the shogun.”

“You are the  _ only _ one who can be shogun,” the Taiko corrected. “It is your right and obligation as heir of the Dreyar clan.”

Makarov stared at the dying immortal. “Not even you had that title.”

“In the end, I am a peasant,” Zeref laughed. “You, Makarov Dreyar, are royalty. That is our karma.” The daimyo stood in silence as the Taiko continued, “Control the Regents. Play them against each other like the goddamn puppets they are.”

“It has been an honor serving you, General.”

“It was an honor to have you by my side, Ma-san,” Zeref replied genially. “I’m glad we were friends.”

“As am I.”

“We are at an agreement, then? You know what you must do. For the future of Japan. And for my son.”

Makarov bowed his head. “Yes.”

“Call the other Regents on your way out, my friend. And may the kami guide you.”

They shook hands with an air of finality, and Makarov knew that they no longer had words for each other. He let go of the Taiko’s calloused hand for the last time, left the dying warlord in the chamber, and exited the palace with purposeful strides, hand hovering over his katana as always. As he slipped past the gates leading into the courtyard, he passed three men and greeted them briefly.

In the courtyard, his hatamoto were waiting for him. He had brought three samurai with him to Osaka from Edo. It was easy to pick out their violently red uniforms amidst the black, grey, purple, and gold; the gems of the elite unit he called Fairy Tail were lounging around on the elegantly carved stone slab in the middle of the water garden, much to the consternation of Zeref’s personal retainers and many of the other present samurai.

A salmon-haired hatamoto with a flaming dragon embroidered into the back of his kimono was sprawled obnoxiously with his head practically in the water, swords jutting at uncomfortable angles into the air. "Dammit,” said the young man. “I’m trying but I can’t catch a single fish.”

Sitting with legs and arms crossed a couple feet from him was a girl with scarlet hair. “Maybe don’t try, Natsu.”

“What’s the point of being here, then?” Natsu moaned. 

“Idiot, we’re supposed to be paying our last respects to the Taiko. Didn’t Erza tell you a hundred times on our way here?” 

Erza pointed out, “His stomach was in his mouth for pretty much the entire ride. You and I were stupid for thinking he’d actually listen.”

When Makarov approached Fairy Tail, dismayed at their tactless lack of etiquette, Natsu vaulted easily back onto his feet and the three samurai watched their daimyo expectantly for orders. 

“We should return to Edo,” Makarov said. “There is work to be done at home and no longer a need for us to remain in Osaka.”

It was then that one of the men in a violet kimono approached them. He had heavy eyebrows and his hair was tied into a neat queue, quite unlike the ragged birdnests that were characteristic of Fairy Tail.

“Lord,” said Jose Porla.

“Regent.” Makarov inclined his head and Fairy Tail automatically drew a defensive position behind him, hands on their katanas.

“The Council will be meeting in Kyoto in two months’ time. We must choose the next Taiko.”

Makarov stiffened. “We have always met in Edo.”

“The Regents decided in a majority vote while you were with the Taiko,” said Porla. “We will meet in Kyoto.”

Gray’s fist tightened around his scabbard. “That’s a breach of custom. Lord Makarov wasn’t at the meeting.”

Porla barely cast him a glance. “Times have changed, and so must our conventions. Lord Jiemma has the signatures of the four Regents, myself included, if you would like proof. I’ll see you in two months’ time, Lord of the Kanto.”

Makarov watched impassively as the Regent whirled on his heel and beckoned to his men. The hatamoto called Phantom Lord fell in line but there were only two with actual presence—a tall man with iron in his eyebrows and down his nose, and an equally ominous-looking young blue-haired woman with a rose longsword loosely held in her grasp instead of the traditional katana.

Natsu, Erza, and Gray held professional, detached eye contact with them until Phantom Lord turned and left the keep.

Before long they were mounted and well on their way back to the port city where their ship was docked. Natsu was draped over his horse, a light stallion he’d grown up with and affectionately dubbed Happy, looking for all the world like he was already in the next life. When he gave another retch, Erza looked at him sympathetically. “Do you want me to knock you out?”

“I’m fine,” Natsu groaned. Then he bolted straight up and flipped over Happy, landing neatly on his feet with both katana already drawn. “Wait. What’s that?” He gracefully somersaulted over the side of the low cliff leading to the shore, ignoring Makarov’s calls to be careful.

Washed up on the beach next to the galley bearing Makarov’s crest was a hunk of shattered wood—it looked as if a ship had been dashed against the jagged rocks.

“Gray!” Natsu yelled. “Erza! There’s someone here!”

The samurai leapt into action; within seconds they were down at the base of the cliff as Natsu waded into the sea, slashing through splinters with monstrous dexterity. He sheathed his katana and heaved an unconscious body out of the water. 

“She’s the only one I could smell,” Natsu said as he laid her gently in the dry sand. “There’s nobody else.”

The girl’s blonde hair was matted, there were cuts along her face and hands, and the rest of her figure was mostly hidden by baggy sailors’ clothes made of coarse canvas, but she was stunningly pretty. There was a strange belt with a small leather pack of some sort tied around her narrow waist. Natsu leaned down and pressed his ear to the girl’s chest, ignoring the electricity that shocked his core as he felt her heart beat against him. “She’s still alive.”


End file.
